DMCosta Posted April 19, 2020 Report Share Posted April 19, 2020 Hi everyone, so quarantine has allowed me to finally get into the studio and make a dinnerware set for my home. I'm making great progress but could use some suggestions with firing the large dinner plates. I've made eight 11" handbuilt dinner plates formed from a drape mold. I was very diligent about constructing, draping, and drying the plates. I've gotten them to bone-dry successfully without warping and I'm about to bisque fire next week. So here are my questions: Any tips to successfully bisque-fire these plates so they don't warp or have issues in the bisque? Any suggestions on how they should be places on the shelves? I'm using standard's 710 deep brown clay cone 5 clay and I have a small select fire Skutt kiln. I'm not new to pottery, I've been in the pottery world for 20 years but honestly have only made a plate here or there. They're typically not my favorite thing to construct, so I welcome any advice. Thank you, hope everyone is staying safe! ~Dianna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted April 19, 2020 Report Share Posted April 19, 2020 26 minutes ago, DMCosta said: Hi everyone, so quarantine has allowed me to finally get into the studio and make a dinnerware set for my home. I'm making great progress but could use some suggestions with firing the large dinner plates. I've made eight 11" handbuilt dinner plates formed from a drape mold. I was very diligent about constructing, draping, and drying the plates. I've gotten them to bone-dry successfully without warping and I'm about to bisque fire next week. So here are my questions: Any tips to successfully bisque-fire these plates so they don't warp or have issues in the bisque? Any suggestions on how they should be places on the shelves? I'm using standard's 710 deep brown clay cone 5 clay and I have a small select fire Skutt kiln. I'm not new to pottery, I've been in the pottery world for 20 years but honestly have only made a plate here or there. They're typically not my favorite thing to construct, so I welcome any advice. Thank you, hope everyone is staying safe! ~Dianna Only things I can think of fire them on flat shelves or flat waster slabs and grog or alumina beneath them so they can grow and shrink smoothly without catching on whatever they are sitting on during the firing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted April 20, 2020 Report Share Posted April 20, 2020 Depending on the thickness, some folk have had success bisque firing slab built stuff vertically. I have bisque fired packing them in 3s but with vermiculite between them to spread the weight. Not my favourite either due to room taken on shelf. More shelf mass then plates. Got me to look up and read re firing plates . Tonight jobbie. I also want to make some. May go for Min's shape in "what it on your table" post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthB Posted April 20, 2020 Report Share Posted April 20, 2020 I fire plates plates by leaning the first one against the wall of the kiln, then continue with more plates. I’m in the middle of loading a dinnerware set. I’ll send a pic shortly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthB Posted April 20, 2020 Report Share Posted April 20, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted April 20, 2020 Report Share Posted April 20, 2020 Some will tell you to tip them inwards so you’re not taking bits out of the soft brick. Prop them like you would in the sink to drain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted April 20, 2020 Report Share Posted April 20, 2020 @RuthB Per manufacturers recommendations, never lean work on the walls. Ware should always be at least 1" from the walls of the kiln. You'll create hot spots and uneven wear on the elements, and hot spots on your pots. Not to mention wear and tear on the bricks themselves. I've seen kilns ruined in no time due to leaning work against the walls. You'd be better off stacking them foot to foot and lip to lip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthB Posted April 21, 2020 Report Share Posted April 21, 2020 Thanks Neil, as a repair tech seeing lots of kilns, you have a large sample. But, in my practice, leaning has not caused any problems for this kiln or the ware. It is 17 years old, and as you can see is an L&L. No brick wear. I don’t make a lot of plates, so maybe that’s why. My brain must be a bit fuzzy right now because usually I place them to span an angle so that only 2 points touch the sides. I am the only one who loads the kiln and I fire very slowly to 1700F, giving time for temp to equalize and burn out any unfriendlies in the clay. Before anyone says I should be firing to 06, more years have passed than I care to admit. It works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted April 21, 2020 Report Share Posted April 21, 2020 I have done squarish plates in the past, and stacked them leaning against each other, but my caveat is to stack them in to a large pot or post set up in the center of the kiln. I usually stack more pieces on a next set of shelves on tall stilt sets, nothing touches the side of the kiln, not unneeded hot spots, and space saving. I have also used 1/2 shelves in a spiral kiln arrangement for both bisque and glaze firing to control the spaces needed to fire larger amounts. My patens for communion sets take up a lot of space, and I would not dare edge stack them in the kiln. best, Pres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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